According to documents filed at Companies House the company, which had a licence to operate 12 vehicles and six trailers and was established in January 1945, has an estimated £155,500 available in assets that could be used to pay firms that carried out work for it.

Partner Neil Dingley says: “Naturally it is early days, so it is not possible to say if the ultimate realisations will reflect the estimates, however based on the estimated figures a distribution to the unsecured creditors may appear likely.”

He adds: “The main contributory factor to the cessation of the business was the cost of fuel which was becoming increasingly high.”

Vosa records show that two other hauliers use William Plant Sons’ Stoke depot as an operating centre: JD Downham Transport and Derek Albert Downham.

“The trading premises is now under the control of the liquidator and the liquidator is presently determining the most appropriate sales strategy,” says Dingley. “In the mean time the existing arrangements remain.”